Archive for category: Opinion

Last year most smartphones as we currently know have turned 10 years old. This anniversary was celebrated by Apple with the release of their flagship device, the iPhone X, that brought forth quite a few never-before-seen features, like its dented OLED screen, its Face ID, and wireless charging. A decade has passed since iPhone and iPad compatible gaming apps became a thing, so this is the perfect time to look back and be amazed at the amazing growth mobile gaming has seen in such a short time.

Although mobile games did exist before the advent of the iPhone, they weren’t a very big business. The vast majority of mobile games were simple puzzles with pixelated graphics perfect for killing a few minutes while waiting for the bus but not much more. But then it all changed when the iPhone came with its powerful hardware and big screen (powerful and big for that time, that is). Suddenly, the smartphone has become one of the most desirable gadgets and apps became the “new black”, as they say. Continue reading this post ->

In the anticipation of getting my first iPhone, I’ve thrown myself headfirst into looking at all the cool iOS features I will soon be able to use, as well as the apps that are only available on the App Store. But that also means leaving some of the Android features I have gotten used to, such as Greenify, the app that easily puts unnecessary or background apps into hibernation mode so they don’t drain battery life or mobile data when I’m not actively using the app.

Luckily some of my favorite apps are available on both operating systems. From basic communication and social media apps like Whatsapp, Instagram and Twitter, to apps that fit in a niche such as Pokémon Go, the game that allows 90’s kids to relive their childhoods and capture virtual Pokémon in the real world. Bet365 for Android is also available on iOS, allowing me to place bets on a variety of different sports as well as viewing live scores; and Uber, the app most people use to easily order a safe, reliable and affordable taxi ride from anywhere. Continue reading this post ->

With the incredible rise in mobile devices also comes a proportional increase in the demand for gaming apps, and therefore a compendium of people wanting to build their own to share with the world.

Developing game apps is a complex process, which involves several stages of planning, design, and programming and finally, distribution of the app to different mobile devices on many operating systems. Here’s the catch; just because it’s possible and easier to create your own games than ever before, doesn’t mean it’ll be easy.

Just as fiction readers want to write their own novels, avid gamers want to create their own games, but creation of any kind requires lots of hard work, skill and dedication. If you’re up to the task, then take some notes from these pointers in designing the perfect gaming app. Continue reading this post ->

Australian Telco company Optus appears to have shot itself in the foot in the recent announcement of their English Premier League plans in Australia.

The Australian telecommunications giant, owned by Singapore telco Singtel purchased the rights to broadcast the Premier League in Australia for over $63million a year, back in November. That alone created outrage with many existing Premier League fans no… Continue reading this post ->

I’m an Apple user, one search of my name through Google alone will prove that as a well published fact. Despite this, I have witnessed over the years a great demise in the industry in a whole. Although I can’t comment on the state of the Android market (I have owned Android devices but never used them for games) I can comment on iOS, which I have been writing about, testing, and playing for many years.

When the market was first in its infancy and early stages, it was fantastic and was partially because of how simplistic the games were. At launch they used the tilt controls and swipe controls of the iOS device perfectly. Games like Fruit Ninja, Angry Birds and Flight Control (RIP) were very popular and put all three of those developers on the international map (Halfbrick, Rovio and Firemint). One thing they all had in common was they were all cheap, yet paid. Continue reading this post ->

Inspired by that post, here are my reasons why having the dock on the left is better than having it at the bottom. Be sure to click the following link to see the full article. Continue reading this post ->

[caption id="attachment_78924" align="aligncenter" width="500"] An example of a common micro-transaction a consumer might see. Credits to AppStorm.[/caption]

As the exponential growth of technology speeds ahead, so must the complexity of the gaming industry. Almost 60 years ago, the brown box console came out. The incursion of quarter slot arcades presented a market for at home consoles, and then five decades later, the endless myriad of freemium apps came to market. Some games along the way are most notable for their ground breaking achievements, presenting an aspect of gaming that left all other aspects inferior. Golden Eye 007 for the Nintendo 64 provided a local muliplayer first person shooter platform that revolutionized the industry. Games like Mortal Kombat and Grand Theft Auto pushed the limits of acceptable stimulus and forced companies to obey the newly founded ESRB rating system. When Halo: Combat Evolved came out, it single handedly was responsible for the successful launch of the XBOX, and it’s no surprise that an anniversary collection with Halo 5 muliplayer beta was released for the Xbox One.